Stars Twinkle as Boys play Rock'n'Roll
by TendancyToLive
Summary: Rated M for language. Contains OC! Drabbles of life of my OC...nights on the town and dreams that cause thought ahoy!


_Kabukicho, Edo_

Yeah, yeah, it all starts at Otose's. Everything's found there, from sake to vodka, ashes to ashes, dust to dust. From time to time, so are people. This ink-haired artist, for example.  
After shoving the last sobbing, drunk businessman out the door (_"I tell ya, Otose, my wife just won't gerroff my back! She's sell that ring I gotter in a flash!"_), Otose turned around. Brushed her hands.  
"You pulled in a crowd tonight, Benzaiten."  
The ink-haired girl in the corner shrugged as she swing the stringed instrument on her back.  
"My _biwa _pulled in the crowd, Otose. Or my legs, I bet those drunk old men couldn't tell the difference."  
Otose leaned against the bench and lit a cigarette.  
"In any case, good job. I'll get you a drink."  
Benzaiten sat down on the stool. Crossed her legs and leaned forwards, like her body was sighing.  
" 'Still early, ya know. What should I do, Otose? Look at me, a woman in her prime and it's only 11. I should be out! DOING things. With PEOPLE. Living, breathing people, ya know? Instead I'm going to sit and drink all alone. What am I, an old man? SHIT!"  
Benzaiten crashed her fist on the table (_Ow! Watch it, you young bitch! Fucks sake, no respect to be found as bar counter.)_  
Otose just took another drag and banged down a beer on the counter.  
"Just shut up and drink, Beni. You were born a grumpy old man, and those Russians taught you drink."  
Beni cracked open the lid with the top of her _biwa_.  
"_Kalinka malika_. Wrong, those Russians taught me to _dance_."  
"I thought the Native Indians taught you to dance."  
"No, they taught my spirit to dance."  
"Next you'll tell me you learnt to sing in Kenya."  
" 'Course I did."  
Otose laughed her throaty laugh, like experience bursting forth from the back of her throat. (_What, didn't you know that was where knowledge was stored? Amateur.__)  
_At the moment Beni slammed down her empty beer bottle, the bar door slid open. A natural perm walked in. Sat down. Ordered strawberry milk.  
Beni stared at Gintoki.  
"Yo, Beni." he said, barely waving a hand in her direction.  
She stared at him, her face a canvas of semi-interest with splashes of apathy. _You know, the standard look. _  
"Where's your rent? Eh?"  
"I'll have it in the morning. Just let me drink in peace. Come on, old lady."  
"I'm adding it to your rent."  
Beni stared.  
"You cold-hearted old lady. Let me off the hook this once."  
Otose tsk-ed and threw Gin his strawberry milk.  
"Shiroyasha."  
Gin spat out his milk.  
"Wh...what?"  
Beni shrugged, and reached for the milk cartoon.  
"I thought you might need reminding."  
Gin watched, lazily confused, as she poured strawberry milk into a cup and then topped it of with sake.  
She presented it to him.  
"A Pink Alaskan."  
"No."  
"Drink it."  
"No."  
"Come on. If you do, I'll do things to you while you sleep. If you don't, I'll do _strange_ things to you while you sleep."  
"I don't like the sound of either of those. What d'you mean, _strange _things?"  
Beni shoved the drink closer to his face.  
"Do it."  
Gin groaned.  
"Why do you want me to drink it so bad?"  
Beni grinned.  
"We're going to hit the town tonight."  
Otose nodded approvingly.  
Gin narrowed his eyes, and stared Benzaiten down.  
Beni just stared right back.  
"I got paid." she flashed a wad of cash.  
"Let's blow it. Just this once."  
Gin's head drooped. _It's not like she was ever this keen to spend money on drink._  
"Gah...all-right."  
Beni laughed and slapped Gin on the back.  
"Yes! Drink up, and let's go!"

Two young people, a perm and a _biwa_ are strolling the lit Kabuki-cho streets. They're laughing, and drinking and dancing, man, _dancing._  
But mostly drunk on the night. The young, pregnant night who came in and found her way in their blood-streams. The perm nearly got in a fight, but the _biwa_ pulled him away to dance to a busker's beat.  
They're a part of Kabuki-cho, look at them. Ruling the streets, ordaining the masses. The _drunk_ masses.  
The perm's grinning at the _biwa._ She's grinning a bob-cat grin right back at him. They're looking for something real stupid to do, like punch a lamp-post.  
Wave at a police-man.  
Drink all the poison.  
But all in all, this night is illuminated.

"Hey."  
"-goddammit, man, who the FUCK does he think he is, punching me-"  
"No, no, Gin, that was lamp-post."  
"Eh?"  
They've reached the last few shops in Kabuki-cho. Before them is a grassy hill.  
She points.  
"It's a trap...tra...TRACK. It's a TRACK. I know this track. Come check it out."  
"Really?"  
"Yeah, yeah! It'll be sun-rise in an hour, let's watch it."  
So they do.  
Beni leads the way, up a track, with laterns hanging like small suns.  
Gin can take two steps at a time, so Beni falls behind.  
They don't speak though.  
When the reach the top, the grass is a little wet but welcoming enough for their hot forearms. Collapsing on the grass, Beni begins to laugh weakly.  
Gin just watches her, happy to be there.  
_Lifeless fish eyes which smile._  
She sits up and stretches.  
"Look at it. _Look_ at it!"  
Edo is stretched out before them, lights flickering as if the city is competing with the starry night sky. In a way, it is.

They sit in silence, and the sun rises. The night has given birth to her child, and it's rising, shedding all of Edo with its warmth.  
Beni stands up and hugs the sunlight.  
Gin can see the sunlight in her eyes, and it's blinding, really blinding.

"Let's go home."  
"Yeah."  
"I want a bath."  
"D'you reckon Kagura's awake yet?"  
"Dunno. Maybe she made breakfast."  
"Doubt it. You usually do."  
"Urgh, I feel sick."  
"Oh god, take deep breaths. Breathe!"

_Because , you know, where else do you go?_


End file.
